Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Tuesday that not all members of his cabinet would be attending the commemoration of Victory Day and Day of Homeland Thanksgiving in Knin this year, but added that everyone would be invited for the opening of Peljesac Bridge.

“This year not all members of the cabinet will go to Knin. We will see who will. Last year was a round anniversary, the 25th, which was important. It isn’t necessary for the entire cabinet to be there this year,” Plenkovic told reporters when asked if Deputy Prime Minister Boris Milosevic would attend as a representative of the Serb minority.

“We will see. It is possible that he won’t be there, we won’t insist,” added Plenkovic after a meeting of the presidency and national council of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).

He underscored that last year was the right moment for Milosevic to go to Knin because he had been appointed as deputy prime minister and because it was the 25th anniversary.

Asked whether that meant that there won’t be a joint commemoration for the victims in Varivode and Grubori, Plenkovic reiterated that that was a gesture last year and everything that needed to be done last year was done.

With reference to the joining of the Peljesac Bridge, Plenkovic underlined that this was an important strategic project and that everyone should be gathered around it regardless of who proposed its construction first.

What is important is that the document approving the funds for its construction was crucial and that was done four years ago.

“With that Croatia will resolve an issue that has been present for more than 300 years and next year we will all be able to travel to Dubrovnik through Croatian territory,” he underscored, adding that everyone will be invited for the opening of the bridge.

Responding to criticism by entrepreneurs disgruntled by Covid support measures being made conditional on inoculation against Covid-19, Plenkovic said that the government had paid out 12 billion kuna in aid to the private sector and another 5 billion kuna in exemptions from various contributions.